


Snapshot Memories

by SakuraMauToki



Category: Pocket Monsters SPECIAL | Pokemon Adventures, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: A collection of ficlets from various times and points in Will's life, Gen, Multi, Now to figure out how multi chaptered fics work on this site, Other, and then there are ones which are everything in between, explicit mentions of homophobia for the latest chapter, some are fluffy and full of warmth while others are nothing but suffering and angst, this fic is one of the ones I am most proud of and I hope you'll enjoy it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-20
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2018-10-21 23:51:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 18,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10685457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakuraMauToki/pseuds/SakuraMauToki
Summary: A collection of memories, each one a snapshot of one boy's journey to a place he never thought he'd end up. (A Will ficlet collection)





	1. Natu

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: This fic will be a collection of ficlets centering around Will from the Pokemon series. They will be from various parts and areas of his life, as well as b a mix of canon and my own personal headcanons/backstory for him.
> 
> This ficlet collection is one of my FFN stories which has multiple chapters, so please bear with me as I slowly get to bringing them here.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything related to it. All credit goes to its creators.

"Will! Stay in the backyard!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, a boy of no older than two waddled off, a sigh escaping her lips soon enough. She knew kids that age, especially boys would be a handful, but Will was much more than that at times. It brought her to the point of wanting to rip her hair out, though that was mostly hen he didn't listen and did whatever he pleased. He was a curious boy and she couldn't stop him, though that didn't stop her from worrying as every mother did.

The toddler in question was now heading down a well-worn path in the woods near their home. His father had come down here many times, often holding Will in his arms since the boy didn't want to stay at home. His father would point our various pokemon and explained what types they were and how they lived. This fascinated the boy beyond any sort of flashing screen and he knew he wanted one of his own.

Little did he know that he would soon get his wish.

A faint, distressed chirp came from nearby, causing Will to stop. He knew it was a pokemon, but it didn't sound like any his father had shown him. Now curious, the boy made his way over, his legs unsteady since he had just learned to walk not too long ago.

After a few stumbles and falls, Will made his way over to a small bush, slowly pushing aside the leaves to see an equally small, round green bird with multi coloured wings and yellow beak. From the chirps it made and the look in its eyes, the pokemon was in pain.

It was when Will looked it over that it noticed one of its wings was crooked. "Birdie…hurt?" he asked, a sad look coming to his face as the bird chirped in reply. If it was hurt, then he should bring it back to Mama. She could make it better!

He carefully moved over, making to pick him up when a voice called to him.

"Careful now, Will. You might accidentally hurt him."

"Daddy!" the toddler instantly made his way over to a rather tall, violet haired man who could have been an older version of Will. His clothes were rather flashy and vibrant, a testimony to his profession as a performer. He had recently arrived back home and found out his son was off in the woods, prompting him to follow after.

"How's my little guy?" he asked, quickly scooping up his son before looking back to the pokemon he found. "A Natu, eh? And one with a broken wing at that."

"It be okay?" Will asked, his eyes showing worry as his father gave him a reassuring smile.

"Yes, he'll be okay. The wing will heal in time. For now, though, we should take it home." He carefully stepped over the bush, stretching out a hand before it was covered by a bright blue aura. That same aura soon surrounded the pokemon, and slowly, but surely it was gently lifted from the ground.

From there the trio slowly made their way back to the house, and it would only be a few weeks later that Will would have a lifelong friend.


	2. It'll Be Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Those were the words she told herself each and every day, and a promise she would do her best to keep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes: Here's the second installment in this little series! This one occurs shortly after the first, but a few event changes have taken place. Will's father is no longer in the picture, and the Masked Man makes his appearance.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything related to it. All credit goes to its creators.
> 
> Pairings/Characters: Will, Will's mother, the Masked Man.

"It'll be okay."

Those were the words she told herself each and every day, lavender eyes never once leaving the window unless to tend to the rambunctious toddler running around behind her. Those words were the only reassurance she had, for they were the words he told her before he went out on the road for the fourth time that year. It was those words she held close when she got the news that he would not be returning. Not now, not ever.

She was alone.

Yet she still held hope. She still thought of the day he would come back, all smiles and acting as if nothing ever happened. She dreamed of the day where he would stay home for good, helping her to raise their small little family. It was much better than facing the reality that he had ran off, never returning in favour of some woman in Sinnoh and her six year old boy, which, rumours had it, was partially his.

Her grip on the dish towel tightened, her throat constricting as tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She was now a single mother, left to raise a child on her own. While hardly a rare occurrence, this child was special… _exceptional._ He was no ordinary boy, and she had no idea what to do with him. While most would say that every single parent felt that way about their kid, she knew he was not like the others.

And it scared her.

As soon as the power within him made itself known, she went and gathered as many books about the subject as she could. However, no matter how much she read and studied, she was still at a loss. No matter what she did, she could never fully understand what her boy was going through, or answer his questions. Every 'I don't know' caused sadness to seep into his eyes, effectively breaking her heart each and every time.

If that wasn't bad enough, rumours had begun to spread around the town and the people began to take notice of her son, but not in a good way. She had tried to hide him and his power, but her efforts were for naught. They couldn't be controlled, and it didn't take long for the town to recognize the boy for what he was: A psychic.

The label might as well have been a death sentence. That's what it felt like most days when she went out shopping with him. She would never forget the stares, the whispers and derogatory comments, all directed at a boy no older than two who wondered why everyone didn't like them and not realizing that their target was him. It made her sick to her stomach and made raising him that much more of a challenge. Because of what he was, he could never be a normal boy. Because of what he was, he could never have friends, could never go out and play without fear, could never go to school without being shunned for what he was. He could never be normal, and she knew it.

A heavy, slightly shaky sigh escaped her lips, her hands returning to the dishes as she heard the playful giggles of the toddler behind her, along with the soft flapping of wings. Looking over her shoulder, she couldn't help but smile at the bright, happy child, running around with arms outstretched as a small, bright green bird flew just a few feet ahead of him.

"Come back!" he called, giggling as he continued to chase after the Pokemon, a small chirp being his response. Despite what the town thought of him, the boy didn't seem to be down at all. Despite the fact that his father would never return, he seemed quite happy. Then again, he was too young to know what was truly going on behind the scenes.

"Such a quaint little scene."

She froze, the chirping behind her ceasing along with the little pitter-patter of footsteps. She had not realized the door was open, or she had been too distracted to hear it open. Either way, there was an intruder at the threshold of their door.

"Mama, who that?"

She looked to her son before looking to the door to see a man clad in black, a silver mask covering his face.

"Will, go up to your room."

"Why?"

"Just do as mommy says."

"But mama-"

"Now, Will." Her tone left no room for argument, her eyes never leaving the man while the boy scooped up the pokemon into his arms and toddled off.

"What do you want?" she asked, her tone low but sharp as ice, causing the man to chuckle.

"I simply came here to talk," he replied. "You have a happy little boy there."

"I asked you a question."

The masked face turned towards her. "And I answered you. I came here to talk."

"About _what_?"

"Your son."

Silence.

"Get out."

A chuckle. "You're not going to hear me out? And here I came to help you."

"I said get out." For all she knew he was one of the residents trying to scare her out of the town. She had received more than enough threats and scare tactics, and while she would have loved to leave, her current finances wouldn't allow it. "I don't need your help."

"Don't you? And how do you plan to keep surviving as you are? Raising a child alone is bad enough, especially given your current situation."

"You know nothing about me-"

"I know enough to know that you won't last." He was met with silence, taking that as a sign to continue. "Financially he is a burden, but it will be so much worse. You should know by now that he's an _exceptional_ child."

"What of it?"

"How can you expect to raise him in this environment? How do you expect to keep him safe? Do you intend to lock him up, keeping him from the outside world?"

"I've done fine so far, and he's happy!"

"But for how long? You can't hide him from the truth forever. You can't hide him from the town. They will only continue to grow, and left unchecked could do harm to not only you, but your son as well."

"….what are you saying?"

"You cannot keep him here, or raise him, for that matter. The fact of his immense power should be proof enough for you. They have only begun to awaken, and with time they will continue to grow."

"How do you know?"

"I've been watching for some time, and I've seen the potential danger he poses to you and those around you. If not controlled, he could do serious harm to either you, or himself. If not, then it would only be a matter of time before someone in this town is hurt by him, then what do you think would happen?"

She said nothing, knowing that what the man was saying was true. "…then what do you suggest?"

"Give him to me. Under my care I will train him and hone his abilities. I will look after him."

"You think you could do better than me? On what grounds?"

"I know of his abilities and how best to hone them."

"And I _don't_? I'm his _mother,_ and while I may not be a psychic, I can be the next best thing."

"Do you honestly think you can help him? You don't know a thing about his abilities or how to handle them."

"I know enough."

"The panic and fear in your eyes say otherwise."

"And you could do better? You're not a psychic."

"Yes, I could. I may not be, but I know more than you do. I can help him in ways you cannot."

A pause. "I refuse."

"…you refuse?"

"I will not hand my son over to a stranger like you!" she spat, her expression becoming livid. "How do I know you won't harm him? You're already a stalker, you've admitted so yourself so don't try to deny it! For all I know the townspeople sent you to threaten us!"

"I am not a part of this town."

"All the more reason not to trust you. Now get out before I call the police, and don't you _dare_ come back."

Another pause, followed by a sigh. "Very well, but you'll realize that I am right. In fact, I'm sure you do now. When that day comes, I know you will accept my offer.

Until then." He disappeared as soon as he came, leaving her trembling in both fear and anger until a soft voice caught her attention.

"Mama, who was he?"

"…no one, Will. Go and play with Natu."

"You okay? Did he scare you?"

Taking a deep breath she turned, walking over before kneeling down to embrace the boy. "It'll be okay," she said, her tone soft despite the tremble remaining in her body. "It'll be okay, I promise."

He gave her a nod, not knowing that the promise she made would soon be broken.

**Fin**


	3. Brother Dearest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is the third installment in this series, which takes place about a year or two after the last chapter. 
> 
> Characters: Lucian, Will
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything associated with it. All credit goes to its creators.

"Brother!"

A boy with lavender coloured hair peered up from a book in his hands, matching hues peering over tinted shades as a small boy ran towards him. The boy couldn't have been older than five, and looked quite similar to the boy he was running towards.

Tiny arms held a small, green ball of feathers that let out a chirp as the child stopped near the other boy. "Luci!"

"It's _Lucian_ , Will," the boy corrected, his tone patient yet containing the faintest traces of annoyance. However, it soon faded upon taking one look at the young child.

"No, it's Luci! That's what Mama calls you!"

A sigh. "What do you want, Will?"

"I wanna ask you a question," he replied, the Natu looking up at him and following his master's gaze.

Deciding to humour the boy as always, Lucian looked at him with a smile. "And what would that be?"

"Are you going to leave me?"

A long silence followed, the seemingly peaceful atmosphere from before now pressed down on the two. His smile soon disappeared, replaced with a light frown as Will awaited an answer. "…what makes you say that?"

"I heard you talking to mama," he said. "About wanting to go on a j-jour-"

"Journey."

"Yeah, that! You told mama you wanted to, and she agreed. Then the other kids were saying that you would leave once you're ten because that's what all the other kids do, and that you would be happy to leave because you would no longer be around me." At this sadness crept onto Will's face, his gaze becoming downcast as he spoke again. "They said you didn't like me and didn't want to be around me…"

Lucian's frown deepened, not liking the sadness on his younger brother's face. While it was true that Lucian waned to go on a journey of his own, he told their mother that he refused to leave without Will. He adored the younger boy, and given how the town and its children treated him, it would be unwise and cruel to leave Will alone in this town to fend for himself.

"I don't want you to leave," Will continued, his tone low and beginning to waver. "You're my brother…even if you hate me, I don't want you to leave." To Will, Lucian was his entire world. He was the only human to care for him, and Lucian was always at his side. He tucked him in, read him stories, and even stood up to the other kids when they would bully him. Lucian was his best friend (apart from Natu).

That was the last straw. Without warning, Lucian scooped Will up into his arms, holding him tightly as if, at any moment, the boy would be taken from him. "They're lying," he said, his tone firm yet containing a waver of its own. "They're lying to you, Will. I would never leave you."

The boy pressed close. "But don't you hate me?"

"Why would I ever hate you?"

"Because I'm a freak."

Lucian's gaze hardened. "You are not a freak, Will." His tone was sharp. "Whatever those boys have been telling you, ignore them. They do not know me, and they certainly don't know you. You are my precious baby brother and have a gift not many do. They simply do not understand, and that's too bad for them. You are not a freak, and I could never hate you."

The boy pulled away and looked up at him. "You…don't hate me?"

"Of course not."

"And you…would never leave me?"

"Never."

"Never, ever?"

"Never, ever. Cross my heart."

Will stared up at him, his brow furrowed in thought before a smile came to his face and he pulled away. "You gotta promise!"

A smile came to Lucian's own. "I promise."

"Pinkie promise!"

A chuckle, followed by an outstretched pinkie finger. "Pinkie promise."

Little did both know, as their fingers intertwined in that instant, that not all promises were meant to be kept.


	4. Why

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Here is the next installment in the series! This one is much darker than the ones before it, and there is implied abuse so read ahead at your own discretion. This one takes place after the events of the third installment.
> 
> Pairings/Characters: Will, Natu
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything related to it. All credit goes to the original creators.
> 
> Warnings: Implied abuse, bullying.

He stared straight ahead, his gaze lifeless and despondent. One eye was wrapped in white cloth while the other shone bright violet. Or it would have. Now it was a dark purple colour, any and all signs of life and joy gone.

His tiny arms were wrapped around a small, green feathered bird smaller than a pidgey. The bird was asleep, it too wrapped in white cloth and looking worse for wear. He could feel the pokemon's every breath, each low and weak as the last, bringing anger to the boy.

Why did humans have to be so horrible? Why did they have to hate someone for how they were made? Why did being born with something that made you different have to be met with such pain and brute force?

Why was it bad to be a  _freak_?

The boy didn't understand, which only added to his anger. He wanted to know why he deserved this. He wanted to know why everyone disliked him, why simply levitating a pokeball was met with much scorn and hostility. Even those close to him felt the scorn; his mother dealt with insults being hurled at her daily and threats arriving by mail. Their own house, which wasn't much to begin with was constantly being vandalized, harsh words of any and all forms written in spray paint all over the siding. Sometimes it was too much, and it was at those times he could see the toll it took on her. Her tears and sobs were proof of that.

Then there was his brother. His awesome, loving, and caring older brother. Despite having grown up with him barely being around, he still loved him dearly. His brother was always by his side, was always the first to stick up for him and chase the bullies away. He was the one to tuck him at night, read with him and chased the nightmares away. But thanks to the scorn, he was no more. He left as soon as he was ten and never looked back, confirming what he had always been told by the other kids.

He had lost his brother, and his mother was in pain, all because of the scorn. Yet he couldn't fully blame the scorn, for if it weren't for his existence, he wouldn't have had to deal with it. His mother could have been happy, his brother would have been still around. Were it not for him, his family would have lived in peace and be happy. Were it not for him…he and his pokemon wouldn't be injured like they were now.

As the memory of their injuries came back, so did his anger. Why should he blame himself for who he was? So what if he was a 'freak'? Why should all of this be his fault? No, it was _theirs_. They were the true freaks; cold, cruel, and void of humanity. It was those people that made their lives a living hell, that left him and his pokemon injured.

And they would pay dearly.

**Fin**


	5. Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Fifth installment is here! This one takes place shortly after Will agrees to join the Masked Man and where he meets his partner for the first time. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything related to it. All credit goes to its creators.
> 
> Pairings/Characters: Will, Karen, Masked Man/Mask of Ice

"This is Karen. She will be your partner from here on out."

Will looked up at the girl, who was older and a fair bit taller than he was, yet wearing a silver mask identical to his own. While he couldn't see her expression, he could sense her displeasure.

"Hi, I'm Will." His words fell on deaf ears as she scoffed and turned towards the Mask of Ice.

"He's weak," she told him bluntly. "And small and scrawny. You expect me to work with _him_?"

"You are, and if you know what's good for you you'll stick to it," he warned, his tone causing her to tense. "I expect you two to get along. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir."

With that the man left, leaving the two alone to get better acquainted.

"So…you joined him as well?" he asked, only to be met with silence. "Tough crowd."

In the blink of an eye he found himself lifted off the ground, the front of his outfit gripped tightly in her fist.

"Listen here, shrimp; you had better not bring me down or hold me back. Otherwise you will not like what I do to you. Got it?"

Will nodded frantically, the growl in her words sending a wave of fear through him.

Satisfied, Karen dropped the boy before turning around. "Now hurry up! I don't have all day!" She took off towards the rooms, Will following behind her as fast as he could.

It was from here on that Will learned to _never_ get on her bad side.

**Fin**


	6. Please

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is the sixth installment in the series and takes place shortly after the events of the previous installment. This is where things start to get graphic and dark once more (as in pokemon/animal abuse), so read ahead at your own discretion. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything related to it. All credit goes to the original creators.
> 
> Characters: Will, Natu, Masked Man

"Please get up."

Anxious violet eyes, barely visible behind a black mask stared at a small, round green pokemon. "If you don't get up, he's going to punish us again."

The pokemon looked over, letting out a small, barely audible chirp. It was tired, sore and unsure of how much longer it could keep this training up. Both him and his master were strong, which was why they were recruited in the first place, but this training was just too much. As much as the natu wanted to help his distressed master, it just could not continue.

And Will knew it.

"Just a few more minutes; training's almost over," he pleaded, knowing he was asking a lot of his friend. If he knew they wouldn't be punished, he wouldn't be pleading like this. The psychic, however, knew better.

Just then he heard a heavy set of footsteps approaching the door, seeding a wave of panic through the eight year old boy. "Please, Natu."

The pokemon, summoning the last of his strength, just got back to its feet as a man clad in black with a steel coloured mask appeared.

"I take it your training is progressing?" he asked, his tone sending chills down Will's spine.

"Yes, sir," he said, making sure not to stutter or show any signs of fear. One slip up would result in a severe beating. "We're almost done."

He looked to Natu who was clearly exhausted but refused to cave for Will's sake.

"Well, then, let's see if he passes the test." The man reached for a pokeball, tossing it into the air before a delibird emerged from a red beam of light. "Ice Beam. Go."

Violet hues widened in horror, the attack hitting Natu directly, sending it flying backwards into the wall behind. Without thinking, Will hurried over, fear creeping into every part of his body as the natu remained still.

Now shaking and deathly pale, he knelt down and scooped the pokemon up. He could see him breathing, but just barely. _Please don't die. Please._

"I expected better from you. How disappointing." The man turned on his heel and left, not caring about the boy who was near tears nor about the pokemon who was just barely alive.


	7. Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Installment number seven is a go! This one is taken a little while after the last one, and Will is still with the Masked Man. This one is more introspective and less dialogue heavy, so I hope you will enjoy it!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything related to it. All credit goes to its creators.
> 
> Pairings/Characters: Will

All was quiet in the dark room. The other children had gone to bed, each one of them sore and exhausted from the training the old man put them through. Only one child remained; a rather oddly dressed child that looked to belong in a circus, not a criminal organization.

The child in question stared at a crate nearby, violet hues fixated on the box, his gaze never wavering for an instant. Tonight would be the night. He would make this crate move even if he made himself sick as a result. He knew he could do it, having levitated similar objects as a small child. However, it was one thing to levitate and move an object, it was another to control the power.

The power itself was often activated by his emotions, which had gotten the boy into much trouble. If he was angry, the objects would hover around him before flying off in all directions. If he were sad, a few of them would break. If he suddenly experienced joy, the objects flew about the room as if on their own accord. While he had mastered some control over them prior to joining the Masked Man, his powers were still far from stabilized and being under his complete control. If he had a mentor it would be easier, but as it stood, he was the only psychic of the group.

He inwardly winced when he thought of these incidents, along with the swift punishment that followed. It wasn't his fault; he was trying his best to control the energy within his mind. There was only so much a boy his age could do. Coupled with depression and other mental ills, along with the gossip and jeering from the other children, it made the art of mastering his gifts all that much harder.

Will quickly shook his head, his gaze once again trained on the box before him. He needed to get this right. If he didn't, he would only be punished and his secret would be exposed to the others. Of course, Karen already knew, having walked in on him during the midst of a mental breakdown. At first she had been terrified, especially when some of the objects flew at her and she made to run and tell the Masked Man. However, once she spotted the boy gripping his head in pain, the tears streaming down his face she braved the elements and went to his side. After a few moments of soft words and gentle rubs on his back, his powers quickly faded and the objects returned to normal. After that day, he vowed never to lose control like that again.

That was why he was here: he needed to master his abilities so that he would never lose control again.

His stare became more determined, his mine focused solely on moving the crate before him. At first nothing happened, the crate remained as still as it always had been. As the seconds ticked by, the crate began to be enveloped in a light blue glow, which grew stronger along with the matching glow in the boy's eyes. Eventually the glow engulfed the crate, and slowly, but surely, the crate was lifted from the floor. A grin crossed his face as he extended his arm, the palm of his hand facing outwards as it too became encased in the glow.

With a flick of his wrist the crate flew to the other side of the room, stopping before just hitting the wall. Another flick of his wrist sent the object flying in the opposite direction, once again stopping before hitting the wall. After a few more minutes of this, Will set the crate back down where it was, a wide grin now on his lips. "I did it…I did it!"

Before he could celebrate, a wave of dizziness struck him before everything faded to black.

**Fin**


	8. Promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Here's the eighth installment, and the last installment for the next little bit. This one is set after the final battle in the Gold/Silver/Crystal arc of Pokemon Adventures and after Will and Karen meet Koga and Bruno. It's also a glimpse into the bond between the pair and just how close they are. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything related to it. All credit goes to its creators.
> 
> Pairings/Characters: Will, Karen, slight Masakudoshipping (Will/Karen)

"So, I guess this is the start of our new life."

"Looks like it."

The two stared out at the sunset, now safely within the confines of the Indigo Plateau. It was hard to believe that just mere hours ago they were serving the old man. Now here they were, about to become part of an elite group of trainers. In an odd sort of way, it seemed as if the training they had endured would be put to good use.

Yet… "I don't feel ready."

Karen turned, looking at her friend with a slightly puzzled expression. "Why ever not? We didn't go through that training for nothing. And we were the best of the best of those brats."

"I know, but we don't even have a full team of pokemon. Not to mention that there's a whole new world out there, one that we can finally explore."

"…what are you saying?"

Will turned to her. "Think about it! There are so many new pokemon, so many new battling techniques that we can now go see since we're free! If we had those at our side, we could become even greater trainers! And compared to how we are now, can you honestly say we're elite material?"

He did have a point. "It sounds like you wish to leave…"

"…not for long," he said, replying after a moment upon hearing the unease in her tone. "I'm not leaving for good, Karen. I will be coming back to attain my position. It's just that, right now I don't think I deserve it. I want to _earn_ it, you know?"

"By making yourself stronger and getting new pokemon?" She was still hesitant, having grown quite fond of Will and not wishing to leave his side. However, if this was something he wanted to do, then as his close friend she should respect his wishes. "…perhaps I could do that, too."

Will gave her a small smile. "So, you're alright with it?"

"Whether I like it or not, it's your decision alone to make. I can't stop you." She fell silent, pausing for a moment before speaking again. "Just come back, idiot."

"I will. Promise."

**Fin**


	9. Freak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Here's the next installment! This snapshot is another dark one, and it takes place before the chapter 'Why' and after the chapter 'Brother Dearest.' This one has abuse and bullying in it, so read ahead at your own discretion.
> 
> I apologize for the next few installments for they're going to be a bit scattered since I cannot figure out how to rearrange the chapters in order to put them into a linear sequence.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything related to it. All credit goes to its creators.
> 
> Pairings/Characters: Will, Natu.
> 
> Warnings: Abuse, bullying, violence.

"You just don't learn, do you, _freak_?"

A boy of no older than six winced, violet hues downcast yet focused on the tiny bird in front of him. The bird gave a small chirp, struggling to stand, only to be knocked over once more by a houndour. It was _his_ fault that they were in this mess; it was _his_ fault that his pokemon was suffering like this.

All because he wanted to go to the park for once, thinking that the other kids wouldn't notice. But they did, and now he was paying the price.

"We told you that freaks like you weren't allowed in, but you thought we wouldn't notice? Not very smart, are you?" The older boy jeered, looking at the younger one in contempt as his friends snickered behind him.

"He probably thought his brother would bail him out," one of them said, a derisive, amused tone to his words that caused the young boy to cringe. "Shame that he's no longer around, eh?"

"That's because even he was smart enough not to get involved with a freak like him! Aww, what's the matter?" The first boy, who was the leader of the pack tilted his head to the side, smirking as he took pleasure in how upset the small kid was getting. "Surely you knew, didn't you? Didn't you know that your brother left to get away from you? I can't blame him, I mean, having to look after a freak like _you_?

You probably thought he loved you, didn't you? You thought he would never leave? But where is he, Freak? Where's the brother who promised to protect you?"

"…shut up."

"He's not here, Freak! He's not here and he's never coming back! Just accept that no one could ever love or be around someone like you! I'm amazed that your pathetic excuse for a pokemon is still with you. If I were it, I'd be long gone!"

"Shut up."

The lead boy ignored him, leaning down instead and picking up a small, but jagged stone. He twirled it in his fingers for a moment, observing the object before looking back to the small boy and his Natu.

"Good thing he's gone, too," he said, a cruel smirk spreading across the boy's lips before he gestured for the other boys to follow his lead. "Now we can finally teach you a lesson. Maybe after this you'll learn you're not wanted. Both you and your mother can get out of this town so we don't have to live with freaks like you!"

"I said shut up!" His head shot up, violet hues alight with anger as the light of the lamp post behind them suddenly exploded.

One of the boys jumped, looking to his leader fearfully. "Maybe we should leave him alone-" he began before being silenced by a glare.

"That's just what he wants! If we back down now, he's just going to use those powers of his to scare and hurt us! We must stop him here and now!" With that the lead boy turned around, hurling the stone in his hand at the violet eyed boy.

The stone connected with the side of his head, eliciting a cry of pain. This spurred the remaining boys on, and soon stones were flying at the boy every which way. It wasn't until one was flung into his face, the tip of the stone digging deep into his eye eliciting a scream of pain and a small stream of blood rolling down his cheek that the boys came to a halt.

Realizing what they had done, the group turned and fled, eyes alive with fear. None of them looked back, leaving the poor boy to suffer alone until his world faded to black.

**Fin**


	10. Payback

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I present to you yet another installment into this little series! This snapshot takes place after the events in 'Freak' and 'Why.' It also hints as to why Will left with the Mask of Ice prior to the G/S/C arc of the manga, as well as prior to the flashback chapters in FR/LG.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything related to it. All credit goes to its creators.
> 
> Pairings/Characters: Will, Natu.
> 
> Warnings: Slight violence.

Cold violet eyes watched as the last of the pokemon fell, his own coming out on top for once instead of being shoved aside and beaten with ease. At last, it was _his_ turn to make them suffer.

One of the boys, the leader of the pack, scrambled forward and quickly recalled his houndour, eyes wide with fear and disbelief. There was no way, in the boy's mind, that a puny psychic pokemon could easily trounce his houndour. There was no way that he lost to a freaky runt that he bet up all those years ago. There was just no way-

His thoughts were cut off by a chuckle. "You better believe it," the other boy said, a smirk crossing his lips that caused the other boys to scoot backwards. "Natu and I have trained long and hard for this day, and it seemed our efforts paid off."

"T-there's no way- you'll hear about this! I'll tell-!"

"You'll tell who? Hmm? If you barely stood a chance, there's no way anyone can, not even an adult. Don't believe me? Tell that to the poor fellow across the street who's growlithe was taken down a short time ago." The boy's smirk widened. "Face it; we're just too good for you now. No adult can best me now, and if they can't, there's no way in hell a weakling like you could take me down."

Will took a step forward, his Natu following as the lead boy scrambled back.

"W-why?"

"Someone had to teach you a lesson," was his response. "Did you honestly think I would let you get away with what you did? You honestly thought I would let you push me around? Mock my abilities? Put myself and my family through hell, all because you and the people in this town are cowards who just can't accept differences? Did you?

How _pathetic_."

The boy trembled before him out of both fear and rage. "Y-you'll get yours-!"

"No, I already did. Now it's your turn, unless you already learned your lesson?~ Perhaps I have to teach you." Will gave a flick of his wrist, watching as the boy before him let out a yelp as he hovered in the air before him. "Now what shall I do with you?" he asked, looking at the boy thoughtfully. Will knew his control was still limited, but that didn't mean he couldn't have some fun first. "Should I stick you to a fence? Slam you against a wall? The possibilities are endless!"

"L-let me go-!"

"…nah. There's no fun in that." With another flick of the wrist, the boy was sent flying backwards, his fellows being the only barrier between him and the ground. Once the boy landed, he quickly scrambled to his feet, his expression nothing but fear. "Y-you'll pay for that!"

"You know, your threats are so _boring_. At least make this entertaining, would you?"

"You're sick, you know that! You psychics are nothing but sick freaks, and you'll get yours!"

Will watched as they scrambled off, a scoff leaving his lips. "We're the sick ones? Yet you were the ones to cast the first stone and make our lives a living hell. And you expected me to sit down and take it? Laaaame."

He then turned to his Natu. "Let's go. This is no longer fun, and _he's_ waiting for us." With a chirp the bird settled himself atop his master's head as Will turned and headed down an alley, his arms folded behind his head. Now that he proved himself, it was time to take the next step and leave this hellhole. There was nothing left for him, and the fun had long since gone.

It was time to see if the life _he_ promised was more than just talk.

**Fin**


	11. Mama

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: To switch things up, this next installment is on the lighthearted side and focuses on Will and his mother. Expect lots of fluff and development on his mother's end.
> 
> This snapshot takes place after 'It'll Be Okay' but before 'Brother Dearest.'
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything related to it. All credit goes to its creators.
> 
> Pairings/Characters: Will, his mother

"Two cups sugar…One cup flower…"

"Mama! Mama come see!"

"Four cups water-"

"Mama! Come see!"

"Two tablespoons of salt-"

"Mama!"

Placing the spoon down, the woman took a deep breath before turning to her impatient four year old child. "Yes, Will?"

Satisfied that he had her attention, the child flashed her a wide grin before waving his arm, causing a few of his toys to hover in the air. "I got this now!" he exclaimed, moving the objects around with his arm and fingers, oblivious to the worried expression on his mother's face as a few of the toys came too close to the breakable objects nearby.

"That's lovely, Will, but please put them down before you break something."

"But Mama!"

"Now, Will," she replied, her tone soft yet stern. It had taken her a while to figure out how best to deal with her hyperactive little boy, especially one with unique talents such as his. At times she was still tempted to raise her voice and yell, but seeing the negative reactions it led to, she adapted a much more peaceful, caring tone. After all, it wasn't Will's fault that he was this way. Not to mention that he was already getting enough negativity from the people in the town.

With a pout, Will did as he was told, gently setting the objects down. "I just wanted you to see…"

"I know." She walked over and scooped the small boy into her arms. "And Mommy is very proud of you." She knew this would bring a smile to the boy's face, especially since there were times he couldn't control his abilities. The fact that he was starting to show a bit of control at his age meant that maybe, just maybe it would draw less attention to him later in life, preferably before his teenaged years.

As expected, a bright smile spread across his lips, causing her to hold him tightly in her arms. With a smile and happy personality such as his, she wondered why she ever got short with him in the first place, especially all those years ago. It was also that same smile that made her determined to make their small, yet comfy home as safe and warm as she could. The outside world was a cruel place, but if their home could be a haven, a safe space for him to be himself and to retain that happiness and goodness within, then it would make her life worth it.

"I love you, Mama."

"I love you too, Will."

**Fin**


	12. Reflection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is the 12th installment, which takes place after the events in 'Promise'. In this one Will returns to the league after traveling around the world to become the best trainer he possibly can so that he can be worthy of the title of 'Elite'.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything related to it. All credit goes to its creators.
> 
> Setting: PokeSpe Verse
> 
> Pairings/Characters: Will/Karen (Masakudoshipping), mentions of Neo Team Rocket, Bruno and Karen

He couldn't get comfortable.

The new sights, smells, atmosphere, space…everything about their new home unsettled him. Every twist and turn he took to get comfortable enough to sleep only resulted in more agitation and served to keep him awake longer. He was used to the cramped room, used to the small, yet oddly comfortable bed he was assigned. Well, it was uncomfortable at first, but years of sleeping in it numbed him to the feeling, he supposed.

He was used to sharing the room with _her_.

After another minute of vain attempts to sleep, the psychic picked himself up off the bed, swinging his legs over the side before standing. His eyes looked to the spot where his Xatu's pokeball should be, feeling a pang of guilt. Shortly after they arrived, Karen and Will left their pokemon with the nurse to be healed. Karen got hers back shortly after whereas Xatu had to stay overnight due to the bad condition he was in. It was tempting to blame Silver for it, but Will knew that it was his fault his best friend was in such a state.

He shook his head to dispel the thoughts. He was already in a restless state, and he didn't need to add the guilt over nearly losing his pokemon to the mix. His eyes then looked over to his clothes, his face contorting with distaste as he looked it over. Whatever made him think that wearing such a ridiculous outfit was a good idea, he didn't know. It did, however, give him an excuse to get new clothes.

He debated whether or not to get dressed, but decided against it. It wasn't cold, so there was no point to put on all those layers. He had a white t shirt on, along with a pair of purple boxers, which more or less were like shorts to him, and that was good enough. Everyone was asleep, so who would really see him in such an undressed state, anyway?

With that decision made, the psychic walked to the bedroom door, pausing for a moment before stepping outside. The hall was silent, not a single thing stirring in the vast space, the soft mat muting the sound of his footsteps as he made his way down to the main living area.

As expected, not a soul was around. The few, plush sofas and chairs were empty, the table in the middle cleared from the debris of pizza boxes and pop cans that made up their dinner. He wasn't sure who cleaned it, since the building had been abandoned since the previous Elite Four disbanded. He didn't see any workers other than Nurse Joy, so perhaps it was her that cleaned the place. Or it could have been Koga. The ninja did have a thing about being neat and tidy. Whoever did it, it was appreciated.

Looking around once more, Will spotted a small love seat and made towards it. It was to one side of the room, far away from the other pieces of furniture yet close to the door in case he needed to leave quickly. Plus, it looked pretty comfortable. He took a seat, blinking as his body sank slightly into the padding. To make himself more comfortable, Will crossed his legs under him, preventing him from sinking further.

His mind began to replay over the events of the past day. In a span of a few hours, he'd gone from a Neo Team Rocket executive to part of a ragtag team of misfits who took up residence in a building meant for only the most skilled of trainers. While there was a certain logic to the situation, the sudden change still didn't make sense. Yes, he was strong, stronger than most trainers at the very least. However, he knew he was nowhere near Elite potential. Not yet, anyway. He only had one pokemon, for one, not to mention that he lost to Silver so easily. So how could he possibly consider himself so exalted?

The psychic was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he failed to notice the familiar presence approaching him, their footsteps silence by the carpet underfoot. It wasn't until their voice called softly to him that he jumped; quickly turning around to realize someone was there.

"Karen?" he asked, staring at her in surprise as she gave him a small, amused smile.

"Let me guess, you couldn't sleep, either?" she asked, moving around to take a spot next to him. Like Will, she was in a state of undress, wearing just a small slip of a nightgown that prompted him to look away. While he should be used to this by now, having spent countless nights sleeping in the same room as her, seeing her dressed like that was enough to make him flustered.

"Yeah," he replied, keeping his gaze adverted. "Why couldn't you sleep?"

Karen shrugged. "Just not used to the place yet. You?"

"Same."

Silence. Will drifted back into his thoughts from earlier, Karen watching him as he did so. A light frown crossed her lips as she thought over his answer, feeling like he was leaving out something important. Will tended to keep his answers short and brief, just touching on the truth enough in the hopes that no one would ask. This was to hide what he was truly thinking and feeling, something that drove Karen mad at times. Like now.

"…what's really bugging you?" she asked after allowing a few minutes of silence to drift by. He knew she was not satisfied with his answer, and that she would start prying to get him to talk. It was the only way to get a full answer out of him.

"Everything," he began, taking a small breath before continuing. "It's all so different. One minute we were criminals, the next we're here. This place is so different from our home, and nothing is the same. I don't like it."

"Why not?"

"Because we don't belong." He turned to her, his expression serious. "We don't belong here, Karen. None of us do. I mean, just look at our pasts and what we've done! Do we really deserve to be in a place of luxury? Our home should be back there, not here. Not only that, but this place is only meant for the best of trainers-"

"But that's what we were trained for, and we are stronger than most."

"No, we're not."

This was met with a frown. "Why not? When we were young we could defeat almost anybody, and we were strong enough to be executives, right?"

"But we don't have enough pokemon, and we lost so easily to those kids?"

"And? Even the strongest trainers lose eventually. And so what if we don't have enough pokemon? We'll just get more. Face it; change happens. There's nothing we can do, so why not go with it?"

"But-"

Karen cut him off with a glare. "We have a new shot at life, Will. We don't have to live in the past and can start fresh. We don't need Pryce anymore and we have more freedom to do what we want. Before we had to listen to him; to work and train in fear and fight not to get punished. Now we don't have to live like that. This is so much better for us!"

Will was not convinced. "We don't deserve this, though."

"You're right, we don't. However, if an opportunity to start anew is given to you, you take it. Otherwise who knows if you'll ever get another shot? For once just accept change and go with it instead of worrying."

"I guess…"

"Glad you're starting to see things my way." Her gaze and tone softened. "I know you're scared, Will, and so am I. Who's to say that this life is going to last? Or that our past will come back to haunt us? But if we keep on thinking and living with these questions, we're not going to get anywhere. Living in the past and wishing that things could be different won't get you far in life, so just roll with it."

Will paused for a moment, thinking over her words before heaving a sigh. "I guess you're right, though I still don't like it."

"No one said you had to. Just don't let it hold you back this time."

"I know, I know."

The two fell into silence, Will thinking over her words while Karen watched him idly for a moment. While she was glad he was starting to see things her way, she knew Will would need time to process things and adapt. That's just how he was.

With this in mind, Karen began to lift herself up from the chair, determined to go back to sleep before stopping to look at her friend again. After pausing for a moment, she leaned in to place a soft, light kiss to his cheek, hoping it would be enough to get him to stop thinking for once.

Sure enough, the kiss brought him from his thoughts, his face turning a deep shade of red as he stared at her. "Why did you-?"

"Let's get some sleep," she said, abruptly cutting him off as she rose from the chair. "You think too much, and if we don't get some rest we won't be fit to train tomorrow."

Will was still not convinced, and he made to ask her again only for her to give him a look.

"Let's get some sleep." Without waiting, Karen made her way to the door, stopping only to turn to look at her friend once more. "Well, are you coming or not?"

He simply stared back at her. "What do you mean?"

For a psychic, the kid could be dense sometimes. "I mean hurry up and come to my room. I know you're not going to sleep in yours, instead staying up to think and worry." Not to mention that he did tend to sleep better when someone else was in the room with him, a fact she learned quite early on when they were first paired and overheard him calling for his brother in his sleep. "So let's go."

The flush on the boy's face deepened, his mind beginning to take her offer the wrong way, which earned him a glare.

"And I don't mean like that either, Will."

"But I wasn't-!"

"Sure you weren't, now hurry up." With that Karen left the room, leaving the psychic to process just what had happened before he followed her lead. Even though he would have her, he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep, but for a completely different reason this time.

**Fin**


	13. I Need You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This ficlet takes place long after the other snapshots, yet still before present day. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or its characters, places, etc. All credit goes to its creators.
> 
> Pairings/Characters: Lucian, Will, Karen. Hints of Masakudo (Will/Karen)

How long had it been? How many years had passed since he last saw his brother's face? How many countless hours of sleep were lost as he waited for the day they would be reunited?

And how did it all seem to go downhill so fast?

The elite wasn't sure what he had expected to happen. Would simply walking in with an apology be enough? Given the anger the younger's aura was radiating, an apology clearly wasn't enough. How could one apologize for years of abandonment, for getting up and simply leaving despite knowing how much it would hurt the youngest of the two. How could he go for so long without communicating, or even so much as looking for him?

But Lucian did. He was the one to leave, yet he was also the one who spent hours upon hours looking for any trace of his brother. Shortly after he left, the younger was snatched away, a fact he didn't find out until he visited the boy's mother many years later. The loss of her son had taken a toll, prompting her to leave Johto and go to Sinnoh, which was where he found her. However, both knew that he was alive somewhere and just had to find him.

And now he had, yet he wished he hadn't.

Will continued to stare at him, still angry by the sudden visit. Yet other emotions were bubbling to the surface: sorrow, regret, sadness, loneliness, hurt. The last emotion was the strongest, and it took all of Lucian's being not to flinch. If he had known the amount of damage his leaving would have caused, he would have stayed.

Karen looked between the two, having refused Will's requests to leave out of worry, concern, and protectiveness. She wanted to be by his side throughout this, and in case this blew up and backfired. When Lucian had left, she had stepped in and took her place, becoming Will's caretaker and best friend. Together the two had been through hell, and it showed judging by how close the two stood together, the gentle, yet firm touch of her hand onto his arm, the pure concern and suspicion in her gaze as she looked between the two brothers. He was certain that, if he were to cross Will, Karen would have little hesitation with ripping him to pieces. Considering both were former members of Team Rocket, he had no doubt the threat would be literal.

Just went to further show his failure as an elder brother.

After a few more tense moments of silence, the younger spoke. "Why?"

This time Lucian could not hide the flinch, the hurt so plainly obvious in Will's tone. Truth was, he didn't have a reason. He was so eager to start his journey, and as much as he wanted Will to come along, his mother would have none of it. He wanted to wait for him to be older, to be able to take Will to Sinnoh with him, but in the end the friends he had made before going to live with his baby brother took hold. However, the blame was not on Cynthia or the others; it rested solely on his shoulders.

"…no reason I could give would suffice," he replied quietly, struggling to meet his brother's gaze. Even though the mask was in place, Lucian could still see the emotions in his brother's eyes. "I hurt you. I abandoned you when I should not have. You needed me the most…and I left you. No apology or reason can ever hope to explain my actions." He messed up, and he wasn't about to make any excuses. He would own up to this, and suffer the consequences, even if it meant losing Will for good.

The younger psychic fell silent, Karen's touch becoming more pronounced as he thought this over. He was still angry, and he would be justified in cutting Lucian off for good. He had abandoned him, and who's to say that Lucian wouldn't do it again? Everyone else did, from family to former lovers and friends. Everyone left him eventually, and his brother was no exception. If he cut him off now, he could spare himself more unnecessary pain.

However, Will knew he could not. Will _needed_ him. Lucian was his world, and even now to a degree. Yes, he had Karen, but she was no substitute for the sibling he had lost. She was something more, but at the same time only one part of him. Lucian had come before her, and only he could fill one of the empty holes in his heart and soul.

After another few minutes of silence, Will gave a nod, looking to Karen before taking a step forward. She had let go of his arm yet remained tense, watching her friend carefully as he approached the elder elite. Once he stood in front of the other his anger diminished, replaced instead with longing. While he had yet to forgive, it was clear that the other wanted him back.

Sensing that it was okay for him to do so, Lucian quickly pulled Will into an embrace, murmuring his apologies over and over as he held his brother for the first time in years. They still had a long road ahead of them, but the first step had been taken.

Will still needed him, and Lucian needed him, too.

**Fin**


	14. Story Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Here's yet another snapshot for this ficlet collection! This one is set after the events of Natu, Mama, Brother Dearest, and It'll Be Okay, but before the events of Freak, Payback, and Why. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of it's properties/content, including but not limited to: Settings, characters, media, etc. I make no profit from this.
> 
> Characters: Lucian, Will, Calista (Will's mother)

 

 

 

"Luciiiii!"

The lavender haired child looked up, smiling as a younger, violet haired boy slowly made his way over with a book clutched in his tiny hands.

"It's 'Lucian', Will," he said despite the smile on his face as the younger boy stopped in front of him, holding out the book to the older boy.

"Read to me. You promised you would!"

"…I did, didn't I?" Lucian looked to the clock, noticing that it was that time again. Was it really that late? It seemed like just a few minutes ago he was reading the novel one of his teachers had given him.

"Yes you did," Will said, giving his brother a huffy pout. "You read to me, then I go to bed."

"I know, I know." Lucian ruffled his hair, taking the book from Will. "Now go on and get into bed; I'll be along shortly."

The delighted giggle and hurried footsteps caused Lucian's smile to grow. Truth be told, he looked forward to this time as well, possibly even more than his younger brother. Being able to read to Will, lying at his side as the younger curled up next to him, adoration and happiness in his eyes… If he could make those moments last; if he could, for just a moment allow them both to escape reality, then perhaps they could both deal with the outside world a little bit better.

Quickly pushing those thoughts aside, Lucian calmly followed after Will, stifling a laugh once he reached the others bedroom door. Will was staring expectantly at him, trying to give the elder brother the angriest look imaginable, which only served to make Will look adorable.

"Luci! You're late!"

"Relax, Will. I'm here, aren't I?" He walked over to the bed, taking his usual spot as he felt a familiar warmth at his side. "Are you ready?"

"Yes! Yes! And do the voices again!"

With a chuckle, Lucian opened the book and began to read, only stopping to adjust his tone and when they reached a dramatic part of the story. The giggles and laughter filled Lucian's ears and made it impossible to hide his smile.

The same could be said from the woman listening just outside their door, her heart feeling light as she turned and entered her own room.

**Fin**


	15. Play Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Back again with another addition to Snapshot Memories! This one is quite dark so read at your own discretion. It is also set after the events of Please and Control, but before Promise and touches on more of Will's time spent in Neo Team Rocket in Pokemon Adventures/Special.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of it's content, including characters, locations, etc. I make no profit from this.
> 
> Characters: Will, Masked Man (Mask of Ice)
> 
> Warnings: Violence, hints of gore, manipulation, and possession. Will add more in future.

Will cupped his chin in his palm, looking on in boredom as he twirled his fingers. The first few minutes had been fun; with every twist and turn of his finger, the puppet moved before him accordingly. Sometimes it would dance, other times it would run and dash about.

Now, however, the performance was growing stale.

"Can't you do _anything_ entertaining?" He asked, looking to the grunt in boredom while continuing to spin him around like a top. When he got no reply, the motions stopped. A sharp, pained cry pierced the air as all but two of the psychic's fingers remained still. The two that continued to move were spread apart, slowly moving in opposite directions in correspondence to the grunts screams.

When the screams had come to a halt, Will relaxed his fingers and the grunt slumped to the ground as they tried to remain conscious.

"And here the Old Man said this would be fun. What a bore."

The grunt looked up, eyes wide in horror. They had heard stories of the psychic's abilities, and what happened to the toys that bored him. It was one of the stories told by the higher ups of the Masked Man's army in order to keep them in line; to succeed where the brainwashing masks have failed. As a result, no grunt ever dared to cross Will's path, or that of any other Masked Child.

Until today.

As if reading the grunts mind (and no doubt he did), a smirk crossed the teen's lips. "And you know what happens when I'm _bored_ , don't you?"

The grunt silently pleaded, their look falling upon masked eyes as their body was slowly lifted into the air. With a flick of Will's wrist, the grunt was sent flying, a sickening crack being heard upon impact with one of the various concrete walls.

Looking at the now unconscious body, the psychic turned on his heel and left, opening the door to reveal his superior.

"Having fun, my child?"

Will gave a shrug before replying. "I was, but now I'm bored. You said this ability was going to be _fun_."

"And I remain true to my word, Will. There is much fun to be had with gifts such as yours, and you will see them in due time.

Now come; it is time to train with the others."

Will gave a nod, knowing better than to disobey. Plus, he wanted to see Karen again.

**Fin**


	16. Greetings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Here is yet another ficlet of mine from Tumblr that I'll be including in this series of snapshots. This one takes place after the events of the HG/SS manga, as well as taking place well after the other snapshots. Enjoy.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of its characters, settings, plots, etc. All credit goes to its creators and I do not profit from this.
> 
> Characters/Pairings: Lance/Will, Lucian

When Will had told him that, after years of past heartbreak he finally found the one for him, Lucian was more than overjoyed. The two had reconnected after Team Rocket was once again shut down, and after years of separation were finally brothers once more. This prompted Lucian to instantly take his role as big brother and look after Will to the best of his ability (even though both of them were now adults, which was debatable given Will's behaviour), and as part of that duty he was to meet anyone who would spend the rest of their lives with his baby brother.

He wasn't, however, pleased with his choice.

"Now I know what you're thinking." Will began slowly, trying to appease his now irate brother. "But I can assure you that he's a great guy, really!"

It had been a bit of a whirlwind romance; after the disaster that was the Kanto Elite Four and trying to make amends, Lance came back to take care of and head the Johto Elite Four. This was met with surprisingly no resistance from its members. Bruno, having long since forgiven him and being a former co-worker was all too quick to take him back, the others following suit since they knew all too well what it was like to have a checkered past. From there Lance got to know the new Elites, growing fond of them a short time after their meeting, and growing especially fond of Will who was quick to take to the dragon master, much to Karen's amusement. The rest, as they said was history.

"You _are_ aware of what he's done, right?"

"Yes, I am, but I'm no better after having been with the Masked Man for so long."

"Still, I don't trust him."

"Lucian, _please_ -"

He turned towards Will, doing his best to hold back any anger. He did pride himself on being calm and level headed, after all. "Will, as your brother it's my responsibility to look after you. I am simply worried about your safety and well being."

"Then you should have nothing to worry about! The Pokémon Association took him back and forgave him, as did the other region's elites and champions. He's changed, Lucian, and I love him."

Looking at his brother's expression, Lucian let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll meet with him, but I still don't have to like it."

The grin that was on Will's face both soothed his anger but made him weary. He really needed to keep a better eye on him.

* * *

"I don't like him."

Will shot Lucian a glare. "You didn't even talk to him yet!" He hissed as the other rolled his eyes.

"I mean just look at that hair! Not to mention the whole outfit and cape is beyond tacky."

"Why does his wardrobe matter-"

"He also looks arrogant and full of himself. Surely you could have done better."

"Just shut it and talk to the guy," he muttered before putting on a smile as the champion in question came over. "Good to see you~"

"It's good to see you too, Will," he said, giving Will a warm, kind smile and earning a glare from the man next to him. As if sensing Lucian's presence, Lance turned to the other. "I assume this is Lucian? It's a pleasure to meet you." He extended his hand, only to be met with a cold, indifferent stare.

"Likewise."

"…" Lance retracted his hand, giving a nod before sitting next to Will. It didn't take a genius to figure out Will's brother was less than pleased with him, which offended the champion and no doubt made Will uncomfortable. Sure enough, when Lance looked over he could see an unsettled frown upon his lips. He would have to make it up to him later.

"So," Lucian began, deciding to cut right to the chase. "What are your intentions with my little brother?"

"…pardon me?" he asked as Will hissed: "Lucian!"

"You heard me." Lucian ignored Will, focusing all of his attention on the man next to his brother. "What are your intentions with Will, and don't try to lie, because I will know."

"I simply wish to date and get to know him better. Is that a problem?"

"It can be. Do you plan for it to be long term?"

"That's normally how it goes."

"Normally, but that has not been the case thus far. I'm not sure how much was revealed, but I refuse to watch my brother's heart break again, especially by someone whose intentions are not serious or geared towards long term commitment."

"Lucian!"

Lance frowned, his eyes narrowing as he met Lucian's stare head on. "Are you saying I will use him?" He asked, his tone low and barely holding back his anger. "You think I will simply toy with Will and dispose him just like that? What kind of a man do you peg me for?"

"You tell me."

"I don't plan to hurt him. Unlike some I actually love and care for him, and I sure as hell wouldn't up and leave him. So if this is what you're getting at, you might as well stop right now. Furthermore, shouldn't you be focused on his happiness?"

"That's the sole reason why I'm here."

"Then explain why he's upset," he asked, his tone cold as Lucian looked to Will, the younger psychic looking far from pleased and barely containing his frustration.

"…"

"I don't plan to leave him, Lucian. I know what he's been through, and like hell if I will allow it to happen again. You have my word as head of the clan."

Lucian looked back, noticing the emotion in his eyes, as well as the sincerity. As much as he didn't like it, Lucian could tell he was a man of his word. "…alright. I'll allow it."

Will breathed a sigh of relief before looking to Lucian. "Thank you. I told you he was a good guy."

"That remains to be seen, but I will trust your judgement." He rose from his seat, giving a brief nod to the two of them. "I shall leave you be for the moment."

"Thank you, Lucian. I will take good care of him."

The elite said nothing, taking this time to head towards the door. However, he came to a stop at Lance's side, murmuring so only he could hear.

"You had better keep to your word, or so help you the next time we meet." With that he went on his way, Lance barely suppressing a shiver as the door closed behind the two.

"Well…you survived!" Will said, his tone cheerful yet strained. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"…"

"And since you now get to live, twice now since Karen let you off the hook, just wait until you meet the others!"

He wondered if Will knew just how lucky he was to have him.

**Fin**


	17. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visit home yields a surprising turn of events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Yet another of my drabble prompts from Tumblr that is going into this ficlet collection. This is set shortly before Greetings.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything relating to it. I make no profit from this and all credit goes to its owners/creators.
> 
> Rating: T
> 
> Characters: Will, NPC's
> 
> Warnings: None

He ignored the stares of others as he walked down the streets, his gaze focusing straight ahead as various whispers reached his ears.

' _Is that_ _ **him**_ _?'_

' _I heard he's a big shot now at the league.'_

' _An Elite?_ _ **Him?**_ _Don't they realize what a_ _ **danger**_ _he is?'_

' _I hear that he forced them to accept him. Probably using those mind tricks of his.'_

' _You mean like_ _ **torture**_ _?'_

' _Well how else could he have gotten in? No one in their right mind would allow someone like him to be in such a place.'_

' _But there are gym leaders like him, like that girl in Saffron.'_

' _The league is slipping, if you ask me.'_

Will could feel his hand clenching as he walked, and it took him everything he had to relax it. While he had expected to cause some sort of stir by returning to this hell hole, he didn't expect things to be at the same level as back then. He had hoped, foolishly that people would have been more educated about people like himself, or at least become more tolerant.

Then again, he was asking too much of a small, backwards town like this.

As he turned the streets, the whispers of the townsfolk began to disappear. In their place was the view of dilapidated buildings, each one looking worse than the last. While this was always a poor part of town, it wasn't until Will left that he truly realized the state of affairs he was raised in.

Instead of anger at the sight before him, he felt guilt. He felt guilt over leaving her in a place like this and for ever being angry with her. She had done her best to give them a life, only for him to spit on it and run off with a man he never should have trusted. He had left her all alone much like his father did before him, and that guilt ate away at him each and every day. It was that very guilt that led him here, and it was the same guilt that made him want to keep running away.

Yet he did not run.

As he approached the house, Will gathered up his courage. It had been many years since he last saw her, and he did not know how it would go. While his brother had assured him that things would be fine, Will still had his doubts. Lucian had not been there when he left her; he had not been around to hear the fight before he slammed the door behind him, nor did he hear the sobs that followed as he walked away from the only safe haven he ever had.

Once he reached the door, Will paused before giving it a knock. As he did so, the door opened of its own accord and with a creak that sent a shiver down Will's spine. Had she meant to leave it unlocked? Was the house another of those abandoned ones that was home to a bunch of ghosts?

Was she even there?

Making to go in, Will had just put one foot through the threshold before a voice called out to him.

"She's not there."

Turning towards the sound of the voice, Will's blood ran cold. The owner of the voice, while much older than he was back then, was the very one who had made his life hell in childhood. He had been the leader of a gang of boys who made sure to let Will know without fail that he did not belong.

He and his gang were also the reason behind his mask.

"…what do you mean?" He asked, his words slow and careful as he kept an eye on the man not too far from him.

"I mean she's no longer there. She left years ago."

"…what do you mean by _left_?"

An irritable sigh was given before the man spoke again. "I mean she left the town. She's not dead, if that's what you're wondering. Or she wasn't when she left this town."

As the other man spoke, Will felt the words sink in. His mother was not here. She had left a long while ago, maybe soon after Will himself did. His mother had left and was not here.

She was not here.

He was soon pulled out of his thoughts by a small, high pitched voice coming from behind the man. "Daddy? Is that him?"

Looking down to the girl, the man gave her a nod. "Yeah, that's him."

Will braced himself for more comments, only to be left speechless at the words that followed.

"Wow! An Elite is visiting here!" The girl peered around her father's legs, a small yet excited smile on her lips. "And you knew him all along? That's awesome, Daddy!"

Seeing Will's confused face, the man spoke. "She's a fan of yours; watches every one of your battles on TV."

Before he could properly think about his words, Will blurted out. "And you _let her?_ You let her watch a _freak_ like me on TV?"

The man hesitated for a moment, not meeting Will's eye as he began to speak. "At first I didn't like it, but seeing how happy she was made me change my mind."

Will found himself at a loss of words, which the other took as a cue to continue.

"You're her hero. I don't know why, or how, but you are. When I heard that you were in town, my daughter got wind of it and insisted we meet you."

"…but how did you know that I would be _here_?"

"What other reason would you have to come back to this place?"

While the two were talking, the little girl moved out from behind her father's legs and walked over to Will. Her father visibly tensed for a moment before he allowed himself to relax, his eyes not moving from his daughter for even a second.

"…um…sir," she began, her tone shy unlike her earlier one. In her hands was a small piece of paper along with a marker. He assumed she was holding them the whole time while standing behind her father. "Can you…can you sign this for me?"

Once her words sunk in, Will knelt until he was level with her, smiling despite the shock he was in. "Of course," he said, his tone gentle as he took the paper and the marker from her. Signing the paper with a small flourish, he handed it back to the girl who quickly held it to her chest.

"Thank you."

"No…I should be thanking you." He rose to his feet and looked to the man once more before looking back to the girl. Just her attitude alone was enough to give him a small bit of hope for this place. While everyone else might still hate him, before him was living proof that times were changing, and hopefully for the better. "Really. _Thank you_."

The girl blinked in confusion. "But I didn't do anything."

"You've done more than you know, and you'll realize it one day." Sensing that her father's gaze was intensifying, Will turned his attention back to the man. While his daughter was more than positive about his presence, Will could not say the same for him. Therefore, it would be best to not overstay his welcome.

"Would you happen to know where she went to?"

The man shook his head before pausing. "…I think there was a rumor going around that she was going to Sinnoh. But rumors are just that in this place."

Will gave him a nod, pausing for a minute before speaking once again. "…I am sorry…about back then."

The man held up a hand to stop him. "Don't." Will looked to him in shock, making to say something when he noticed what appeared to be the faintest hint of remorse in his eyes.

Seeing his expression, the man continued before Will could speak. "I don't know where she went, but she's not here. You may want to try Sinnoh." From his tone Will could sense unease and abruptness, which meant that he was overstaying his welcome.

With a nod Will made to leave only to stop in place. Looking back to the girl, he offered her a kind smile. "You'll be a great trainer someday. I look forward to your league challenge." He then paused for a moment. "…your father is learning. Please help and be easy on him."

With that Will turned and headed back down the road, various thoughts and feelings in his mind as the little voice called behind him.

"I hope you find what you're looking for! Keep being awesome!"

This was the first time he ever left the town with a smile on his face.

**Fin.**


	18. First Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will's first brush with love, along with self discovery and acceptance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((This snapshot takes place during Will's time under the Masked Man. He is around 13-14, so this is two-three years before the start of the GSC chapter.
> 
> I also took inspiration, and a bit of dialogue from Andi Mack, specifically when Cyrus came out to Buffy.
> 
> Rating: T+
> 
> Characters: Will, Karen, Adien (OC)
> 
> Ships: Will/OC
> 
> Warnings: explicit mentions of homophobia))

“We get to leave? Seriously?”

Karen looked down at Will, giving him a nod which earned her a wide grin. The pair had, like all the other masked children, been cooped up in the Hoenn Rocket base since they first agreed to join the Masked Man four years ago. They had been forbidden to step outside the base, but after the escape of Blue and Silver the Masked Man became more lenient. As a result he would allow the other children to go out, albeit in pairs and only close by. Additionally, they were allowed to discard their silver masks when they went outside, which was something both Karen and Will were happy about.

“Seriously. However, you need to stay by me, and we’re just going to the department store in Lilycove.”

“I know, I know. Otherwise the Old Man’ll have a fit.”

“Exactly. Now let’s get going. I don’t have time to waste.”

Will gave a nod and followed after Karen, his grin not once fading as the two stepped outside the base doors for the first time.

\----------------------

“We really should have given you another outfit.”

“I don’t see why. It’s perfectly fine as it is!” The stares the duo was attracting said otherwise, and it took all of Karen’s focus not to roll her eyes or just leave him behind. 

“For a circus maybe.”

“How rude.”

The banter continued until the two arrived at the Lilycove Department store. It was rather crowded, and after a few minutes of fighting through the mass of people, they figured out why: there was some sort of secret sale going on, a once every few months thing that had everyone in an uproar. As they struggled, Will ended up separated from Karen, being pushed left, right, and center until finally colliding with someone and falling backwards.

“Ah, I’m sorry!” 

It took Will a moment to get his bearings, but once he did he looked up to see a rather worried, apologetic boy hovering over him. From the looks of things, this was the person Will had run into, who had caused him to fall over. Normally Will would have been irritated or made a snarky comeback, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so. Whether it was because the other boy was around his age, or that his dark green eyes clearly showed his regret, or the fact that someone was actually showing him concern for once, he didn’t know.

“…it’s all right,” he managed to breathe out, making to pick himself up. He stopped as the other boy stretched out his hand.

“At least let me help you. I knocked you over, after all.” 

Giving the other a nod, Will gently took his hand and allowed himself to be lifted up off the floor. The hand was warm and for a moment Will didn’t want to let it go. He eventually did so upon feeling the questioning gaze of the other boy on him.

“Thank you,” he said, suddenly feeling embarrassed and rushing to cover it up. It didn’t help that his gaze kept drifting towards the other, and he forced himself to look away.

“No problem. It was my fault, after all.” The other boy paused for a moment, looking Will over before extending his hand again. “Name’s Aiden. I haven’t seen you around here before, are you new? We just moved here from Kanto not too long ago, and it’s rare to see others around who aren’t out with their Pokemon.”

“I guess you could say that,” he said, keeping his answer vague as he slowly took the other boy’s hand again. It wouldn’t do well to have Aiden know who he really was. “And I’m Will; pleasure.” Again the warmth made Will not want to let go, but he did so before things became awkward.

“Will…it suits you,” Aiden said after a moment. “The outfit too. It’s not one you often see, but I like it.” Realizing that he was blurting out his thoughts again, Aiden gave Will an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I tend to just blurt things out. Hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

Will wanted to reply with ‘That’s obvious’ but again found himself unable to. The smile had caught his attention just like his eyes had done before. “…it’s fine.”

An awkward silence followed, with Will trying not to stare at Aiden while the other tried to think of a way to save the conversation. Fortunately, both were saved by the appearance of Karen, who somehow managed to not only beat her way through the crowd, but get some shopping done as well. Judging by the glares being sent her way, a few of the shoppers had the misfortune of being met with said shopping bags, and Will had to hide a grin. 

“There you are! I was looking everywhere for you!” Karen glared at Will, prompting him to give her one of his trademark innocent smiles. 

“I was here the entire time,” he said. “The crowd ate me alive.” A snort of laughter reached his ears- he’d forgotten Aiden was there. Both Will and Karen turned towards the other boy, who upon being caught gave a sheepish grin.

“Sorry. I thought it was funny.”

“Don’t encourage him.” Karen warned, rolling her eyes as Will smiled awkwardly. He didn’t expect their banter to be amusing to anyone else, and the thought of Aiden finding it funny made Will want to smile and keep going. “Anyway, I have what we need, so let’s get going.”

Will gave her a nod, hesitating for a moment before looking back to Aiden. For some reason, Aiden also seemed hesitant to leave.

“I won’t keep you then,” he said, looking between the two before focusing his gaze on Will. He gave the other a bright smile. “See you around?”

Will could only nod, which seemed to satisfy the other boy. Aiden replied with a wave before disappearing into the crowd. 

After he left, Will didn’t realize he was staring until Karen nudged him towards the door. He took the hint and followed after her, saying nothing despite the questioning looks she kept sending his way. He knew she would be grilling him later over the whole exchange, but for now Aiden’s smile kept his mind perfectly distracted.

\----------------------

After what felt like weeks Will and Karen were allowed to go out again, and once again Will had run into the boy he met before. It had been Aiden who spotted him first and made his way over without hesitation, smiling brightly as he did so.

“Thought I wasn’t going to see you again,” he said, grinning as Will returned it with a shy smile.

“I’ve been busy.”

“Training right?” Aiden’s gaze then traveled to Will’s Natu, who had been let out of his pokeball so he could get some fresh air. “I’ve never seen that pokemon here, though I hear the Safari Zone nearby has them. Johto, right?”

Will gave him a nod, wondering how much Aiden knew about pokemon before noticing the other boy taking a step towards him.

“…mind if I pet him?”

Will looked towards his pokemon, waiting for the bird to give a nod before giving one of his own to Aiden. With a grin Aiden stretched out his hand, gently patting Natu atop the head. “Its feathers are so soft. You must take good care of him.”

“Of course. He’s my best friend, after all.”

Aiden gave a knowing nod, followed by another smile. “That’s how it should be. Many see Pokemon as just tools or creatures to exploit for profit. Or at least they did back home. People in Saffron talk, which is surprising for a city since people tend to mind their own business.”

“Saffron?”

“Yeah. That’s where we were living before moving here. It’s a large place with many people, possibly as many as here. It even has two gyms! The second one is rather new, and rumor has it that there are incredibly powerful trainers there. A lot of psychics gather there too, which makes me wonder if the gym itself isn’t psychic.” 

At the mention of psychics Will found himself tensing. He knew that psychics were generally not well received, and even mentions of the word were enough to leave him feeling on edge. However, it seemed that Aiden had not noticed and continued to talk. 

“There are a lot of psychics in Saffron, and there’s even a house where this guy lives who’s rumored to be one himself. He gives out a move to trainers, and it’s supposed to be really powerful. Mom wasn’t really fond of living in an area with so many psychics, but I don’t see why. I mean it would be really cool to be one, you know? To be able to do stuff with your mind and talk to pokemon without having to actually speak? That’s cool.”

“…is it?”

“You don’t think so?” Aiden tilted his head, looking to Will curiously before noticing his slight discomfort. “…sorry.”

Will shook his head. “It’s fine. I’m kind of surprised, actually.”

“Really?”

He gave him a nod. “Most I know don’t like psychics, so to find someone who does is rare. Of course, it’s not as cool as you think it is.”

Aiden paused before slowly nodding. “True enough. I’ve heard mom rant about them many times, and having to hear that stuff must be awful. I still don’t get why people like mom would hate them. It’s not their fault, right? Plus they’re just people.”

“Sadly many don’t see it that way.”

“Maybe not now, but later they might! I mean, there are lots in Saffron, so it’s like a community of sorts. You should visit sometime! I could even show you around!|Aiden paused, as if he’d gotten ahead of himself. “…if you’d want to, that is.”

Will paused as he thought it over. A city filled with psychics would be interesting. There were so few of them around that the idea of meeting others like him was a welcome one. Plus if he had a reliable guide, preferably someone as enthusiastic as Aiden, Will wouldn’t mind at all. However, his association with the Masked Man would prevent such a thing, so he knew better than to get his hopes up. 

“I’ll consider it.”

“Great!”

Another awkward silence fell over them and much like last time it took Karen’s appearance to break it. Again Aiden waved him goodbye, leaving him silent and full of thoughts as he and Karen walked back to the base. 

\----------------------

As weeks turned into months, Will kept running into Aiden with every excursion from the base, and it didn’t take long for them to become friends. Karen had warned him about getting close, but she couldn’t bring herself to scold him. For the first time he looked truly happy, and a part of her didn’t want to take that away from him. Being with the other masked children became stale after a while, and it would be a good thing for Will to meet others his age instead of clinging to her all the time. 

Still, she couldn’t help but worry what would happen if the others found out about this friendship, so she made sure that Will kept it between them when they were back at the base. She also made sure to let the two spend time together while she took care of what needed to be done.

This suited Will just fine and he was more than happy to chat and hang around with Aiden while Karen went off to do whatever she did. Being with him made Will feel happy, and every time the two met he found it harder and harder to go back. Even after a particularly grueling week of training, seeing Aiden greet him with his usual bright smile was enough to lift his mood, leaving him to eagerly look forward to the next time they met.

After a while, Karen couldn’t help but take note of this, though Will thought no more of until an event a few days later would bring it up again.

\----------------------

“Any questions?”

Will simply stared up at Keane as he finished his explanation, noting that his superior’s face was particularly red and puffy today. He himself felt embarrassed, but unlike the oldest masked child, Will was better at hiding it right then. 

It was an odd meeting, and one of the only times outside of training that Will and Karen got to meet with Chermaine and Keane. Of course it was just him and Keane in one room while Chermaine met with Karen in another. Karen, having already been through this multiple times, was never fazed by the talk and often just ignored her colleague. This, however, was Will’s first time hearing the talk, and he had many questions. Of course he did not voice any of them, namely because both were rather embarrassed by the topic and Will could probably find a book or two on it to read later. There was one question he wanted to ask, but he would wait until the moment presented itself.

“Again, you don’t really need to worry about a lot of that stuff,” Keane continued. “You’re still young and just need the basics. It’s not until you get a girlfriend that you need to know the rest.”

“Have you ever had one?”

A long silence followed, which was broken by an awkward cough. “No, but I still know what I’m talking about.”

“But how could you if you never had one?”

“That’s none of your business, Squirt.”

Recalling the question he had in mind, Will decided to go ahead and ask. “So how do you know if you like someone, if you haven’t ever been with them or never felt it before?”

“Well, when you’re with them you feel really happy. You also want to spend every possible moment with them, and even want to be close with them. I mean you want that with friends too, but it often feels stronger than that, and different.”

“Different how?”

“Well there are some things you want to do with them that you wouldn’t with a friend, like kissing for example. You don’t just go around kissing your friends.”

“But what if they were originally your friend?”

“W-well…it’s still different!”

“But what if you have a friend, and you want to kiss them? Are they still your friend, or does it become different?”

“It becomes different, I guess. Then again, it’s not like you have any girls you would want to do that with-“ Keane suddenly paused before looking at Will suspiciously. “…do you like Karen?”

“What?” Will blinked in surprise, wondering where that question came from. “Of course I do.”

“I mean like like her. Like romantically.”

Immediately Will’s cheeks turned pink and he shook his head frantically. “No! She’s like a sister to me!”

Still not fully believing him, Keane gave Will a knowing grin. “Sure you don’t. You wouldn’t be asking these questions otherwise, though it might not be best to pursue that, what with sticking to the mission and all.”

“But I don’t like her like that!”

“Then why are you asking those questions?” He asked with a teasing grin.

“Because I wanna know if it applies to just girls or if it can to boys too!” Seeing Keane’s expression change, Will immediately backpedalled. “I mean…” he murmured, “can you feel like that towards boys, or is it just a girl thing?”

Keane continued to study him, the teasing grin long gone. Will knew then that he asked the wrong question, and as Keane spoke again, Will began to feel uneasy.

“No. It’s just a girl thing,” he said firmly. “Boys don’t like boys like that. It’s just weird.”

Will gave him a nod, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach. Keane’s response was very similar to the reception he was given back in his hometown, but that was over being psychic, not for asking questions about boys.

“You’re still young so it’s all confusing for you. Stick with Karen more and it’ll all make sense.”

“…all right.”

Giving a satisfied nod, but with the suspicious frown still on his face, Keane left to grab lunch. Will lingered in the room, thinking over Keane’s words as Aiden’s face came to his mind. He could see the boy’s smile clearly, and when he did he could feel exactly what Keane described as romantic feelings. Yes he felt similar things for Karen, but they were more like what he felt for his older brother. They weren’t as strong, and like Keane said they were most certainly different.

But boys didn’t like other boys that way, and the more Will thought about it, the more he couldn’t help but feel it was true.

Besides, why would anyone like a freak like him anyway?

\----------------------

For a while, Will had avoided leaving the base, which concerned Karen. Whenever they were allowed to leave, she’d go to Lilycove alone. She would come across Aiden, who would ask where Will was, and she would have to make up an excuse. “He’s sick,” she’d say, or “he decided to stay home today.” Each excuse brought sadness to the boy’s face, and when he left with a resigned goodbye during their most recent encounter, Karen knew she had to have a talk with Will.

\----------------------

When Karen arrived at the base later that day, she immediately went to Will’s room and dumped her bags on the floor. He had not moved from the room since she left this morning, and when she did see him out it was only for training and food. If this continued it would attract suspicion, and she already suspected something was up due to the way Keane kept looking at them.

Taking a seat next to him on the bed, Karen looked over to Will, who covered his head with a blanket.

“Talk to me,” she said, frowning as Will shook his head. “Something happened, and I’m concerned. Not to mention that the others are getting suspicious.” She paused for a moment, continuing softly: “…Aiden was looking for you.”

She could see Will tensing under the blanket and she knew those words had gotten through to him. After a few long moments, Will poked his head out, hesitating before slowly sitting up and looking at her. His hair was a mess, and if he had his mask off Karen would have been able to see the dark shadows under his eyes. However, she didn’t need to have the mask removed to see his puffy, watery eyes, and it took all of her willpower not to go over and hug him then and there.

“What did he say?” Will asked, his voice soft and filled with sadness.

“He was asking where you were, and whenever I made up an excuse, I…I can see how sad it makes him.” Another pause. “He misses you, Will…and I think you do, too.”

“I do…” Will replied, his eyes watering, “but…but I can’t see him.”

Karen’s brow furrowed. “Why not? You two are friends, aren’t you?”

“…yes…but it’s weird.”

“Weird how?”

Will hesitated for a moment before continuing. “Keane gave me the talk a few weeks ago, and I was stupid and asked the wrong question. He looked at me like those in my hometown did…I don’t blame him, though. I am weird after all.”

“What did you ask him?”

Will fell silent at her question, drawing his knees up to his chest. A part of him wanted to tell her, but remembering Keane’s reaction discouraged him. If he told her, she would think he was weird, just like everyone else. Just like Aiden would.

“You can tell me, you know.” Concern darkened her expression as she saw him begin to withdraw into himself. Something was obviously troubling him, and if he didn’t get it out he would only keep hurting himself. This was obviously important, much like the time he told her he was psychic. In fact, he’d been acting the same way then as he was now… “I won’t judge you. You know that, right?” She reached out, placing her hand atop his own as she attempted to meet his eyes. “We’re friends. You can tell me anything.”

Will slowly raised his head, the familiarity of her words finally giving him the courage to speak. She had not judged him for being psychic; she had accepted that about him, much like how she accepted him overall. This time, he knew, would be no different. Or so he hoped.

“…I asked him if a boy could like a boy like he would a girl. He said boys don’t do that and it was weird.”

It was Karen’s turn to fall silent. Everything began to make perfect sense, and after a long moment she asked Will a question. “…do you like Aiden?”

Will paused for a moment before giving her a nod, his eyes watering further. “I feel weird…different. I’m…I’m weird, aren’t I?”

Karen paused before giving him a small, amused smile. “Of course you are, but there’s nothing wrong with that. So what if you’re different? No one’s the same.” She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “…there’s nothing wrong with having those feelings, and there’s nothing wrong with liking Aiden.”

“But Keane said-“

“Keane’s wrong. Just because he’s older doesn’t mean he can’t be wrong, and it doesn’t mean you have to listen to everything he says.” Seeing Will give her a nod, Karen moved closer and wasted no time in embracing him. “Next time we’re going out, you are coming with me, and you are going to meet up with Aiden. You don’t have to tell him anything you don’t want to, but you are going to show him that you’re still here. Got it?”

“Yeah…I will,” he said. He returned her embrace, feeling as if a large weight had been removed from him.

“Good.”

After a while Will let go of Karen, hesitating for a moment before meeting her eyes. “Karen?”

“Yes?”

“…thank you.”

\----------------------

True to his word, Will went out with Karen the next time they were allowed. Like many times before, Aiden approached them with a bright smile, though this time Will could read the underlying concern and worry on Aiden’ face. The other boy’s smile was enough to brighten Will’s mood, and like before, it made him feel giddy. He wanted to be around Aiden, and the thought tinged his cheeks a light pink.

Karen took this as her cue to leave but not before giving Will a reassuring look. Once she was gone, Will turned his attention to the other boy. 

“Hey.”

“There you are!” He said. “I was wondering when I’d be seeing you.” His smile receded, and he continued softly. “Are you okay? Your friend told me you were si  
ck.”  
Will paused for a moment before giving Aiden a reassuring smile. “Yeah, but I’m better now. Sorry for worrying you.”

“It’s fine,” he said, relief flooding his features as he gave Will another smile. “I’m just glad to know you’re all right.” A sudden shout, followed by the noise of a large truck caught Aiden’s attention before he focused back on Will. “…there’s something I want to tell you, but not here.”

Will gave him a curious look, and was about to ask, but he fell silent as Aiden shook his head. Instead, the other boy held out his hand for Will to take. He hesitated for a moment before slowly reaching out to hold it, his heart beginning to beat furiously as Aiden guided him to a small cluster of trees and rocks not too far from his house. Once there Will noticed the truck from before, along with the Machoke that were loading various boxes onto it after coming out of Aiden’s house. 

“…you’re moving.”

“Yeah. Dad got a job at the Weather Institute so we’re moving to Fortree. I was looking to tell you earlier but I never saw you.”

Guilt began to build up inside of him, and Will wished he hadn’t locked himself away. Now he didn’t have much time to spend with Aiden, and he probably wouldn’t be able to see him again.

Aiden watched as Will fell silent, and almost as if sensing Will’s sadness, he moved closer. “It’s okay,” he said, smiling though he was obviously sad himself. “We’ll probably see each other again one day. It’s not like I’m leaving forever, you know.”

“…yeah…”

Aiden frowned, his brow furrowing as he thought of how to best cheer Will up. A sudden call of his name caused his head to turn, and in the distance he could see his mother waving him over. He knew then that it was time to leave, but he didn’t want to end it on a sad note.

After another moment Aiden nodded to himself before stepping closer to Will. The other boy made to ask what he was doing before Aiden pressed his lips to Will’s own. The kiss was chaste and brief, but to Will it felt much longer. As he made to return the kiss, Aiden pulled away, leaving Will disappointed. However, seeing the other’s smile after pulling away eased the disappointment. 

“I was afraid you wouldn’t feel the same way, but I’m happy you do,” he said, gazing gently at Will. “I wanted to do that for a while, but I was afraid it would be too weird. I also know it wasn’t the best timing, but I didn’t want to leave without having done anything, you know?” When Will said nothing Aiden continued: “You’re rather cute, you know that? Plus you’re funny and nice to be around. I’m happy I got to meet you, and I meant what I said about visiting Saffron. I plan to return there one day, and hopefully we can meet again and I can show you around.” 

Another call of his name had Aiden turning around. It seemed his mother was getting impatient and it would not be long before she came up here and got him herself. 

Turning back to Will, Aiden did his best to smile brightly. “I guess this is goodbye, but not really. I’m sure we’ll see each other again.” He was about to turn around, but stopped once he felt a hand on his wrist. Before Aiden could say anything Will pressed his lips against Aiden’s own, this time returning the kiss he could not before. Like the last one it was short, but Will attempted to pour as much feeling into it as he could. 

When they pulled away, Aiden paused before flashing Will a huge grin, which Will quickly returned. “We’ll meet again.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

\----------------------

The next day Aiden was gone, and while Will was sad, he was oddly at peace with how things had played out. After talking about it with Karen, he felt himself becoming more certain about who he was, and he made it a point to ignore Keane. It wouldn’t be long before they all left for Johto, and Will needed to be as strong and self-assured as he could for what lay ahead of him.

\----------------------

“The winner is, Will of the Elite Four!”

The challenger returned their last pokemon to their pokeball, taking a deep breath before facing the Elite across from them. They had been so close to advancing in their league challenge, only for Will to pull a move so far out of left field that they never saw it coming. Then again, Will was an Elite, and they were foolish enough not to expect something of the sort.

Sensing their disappointment, Will crossed the field and approached the challenger, giving him a reassuring smile. “Your team did well,” he said. “For a minute I thought I was done for. I believe that next time you can best me and move on, so do not give up.”

The challenger gave him a nod, followed by a determined smile. “I’ll win next time.”

“I’ll hold you to it.”

When the challenger left, Will breathed a sigh of relief. The battle could have gone either way, and had he made one wrong move he would have lost. He knew the battling was sloppy, namely because he was not practicing as hard as he should have been. No doubt Lance saw it too, and he knew the champion would have a few words with him.

Still, it wasn’t like Lance could stay mad. Will did win after all, and he had his ways to get the champion on his side.

Deciding he would go and talk to Lance, Will was just about to turn when a sudden call of his name caught his attention. Turning around, he noticed a couple approaching him, fingers entwined. The sight made him smile, for it was not a pair you saw around often despite Johto becoming a more welcoming, accepting place.

When the couple approached, Will found himself with another reason to smile.

“I told you we’d see each other again.”

The elite grinned, and Aiden did so in turn while his boyfriend rolled his eyes.

“He’s been talking about you non-stop once he saw you on TV. I fear I might be replaced at this point,” he said half-jokingly, which earned a glare from Aiden. 

“Don’t be silly.” Aiden chastised. “You’re the one I’m with, after all.” He briefly glanced at Will. “No offence.”

But Will simply waved it off. “None taken,” he said.

“But seriously who would have thought you’d turn out to be a master trainer?”

“Stranger things have happened, you know~”

“Oh I know.”

Silence fell over the trio, but rather than being awkward it was comfortable. After a moment Aiden spoke again. “I just wanted to say hello and congratulate you on your battle.”

“Thank you, though it could have gone much better.”

“It looked pretty good to me!”

“You must be easily impressed then~”

Aiden’s boyfriend let out a snort of laughter, which resulted in an arm punch from Aiden. “Quiet you.”

Will watched the scene in amusement before sensing a pair of eyes on him from behind. Looking over his shoulder, he could spot Lance and Karen watching him from the door, Koga and Bruno not too far behind. 

The stares soon attracted the attention of the couple, and when Aiden looked over he could see Karen smirking from beside the champion. It seemed that she too was an Elite, which honestly didn’t surprise him. “I suppose we should let you go now.”

“While I’m sure they can wait a bit, I think you are correct.” He paused for a moment. “…It was good to see you again.”

“Likewise. I hope everything is going well for you, and I’m sure we’ll run into each other again.”

“I’ll hold you to it.”

When the couple left with a wave, Will turned around and headed over to where the others stood. Koga and Bruno gave their congratulations, the latter showing his by putting him into a headlock before letting him go to train. Lance and Karen stayed behind, giggling to themselves while Will protested under Bruno’s friendly tussling.

“I take it you have more fans now?” Karen said, giving Will a knowing look that he returned in kind.

“Jealous are we?~”

“Hardly~”

“That’s enough you two.” Lance stepped forward and Karen couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

“I get it. Just don’t go giving the cameras a show now~”

Lance made to protest, only for Karen to dismiss him with a wave of her hand as she took off down the hall. He then turned back to Will who did his best to hide a snicker at Karen’s actions.

“…you did well, though you’re going to need to train harder.”

“I know. You don’t need to tell me~”

“Just as long as you know.” Lance paused. “ …they were…fans of yours, yes?”

Will chuckled at that before wrapping an arm around Lance’s own. “Yes, and you don’t need to worry about that…though I suppose you could say that one of them is the reason I’m here now.”

Lance gave Will a questioning look but said nothing, instead choosing to entwine their fingers as they walked down the secluded hallway. If what Will said was true, then Lance would have to thank them the next time they met.


End file.
